Barolo Rocche del Falletto, Bruno Giacosa 1998

Exotic, almost jammy aromas, with spices and flowers. Full-bodied, with big, round tannins and a ripe, almost sweet fruit finish. This is a young and lively red. Like tasting crushed berries. Best after 2006.

The limited cuvee made from four blocks of the Falletto Vineyard called Rocche, the 1998 Barolo Rocche di Falletto, borders on perfection. This massive, full-bodied wine is spectacular. A dark plum color reveals lightening at the edge. Stunning aromatics offer up scents of crushed stones intermixed with cherry jam and sweet tobacco. There are loads of glycerin, moderately high tannin, and an amazingly long finish of nearly 50 seconds. As staggering as it is now, I am sure it will close down and require 7-8 years of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2035.